Sleeve key ring



June 27, 1961 s. SEGAL Y 2,989,862

SLEEVE KEY RING Filed May 3, 1960 5 Hg FIG/.5 F162 INVEN TOR. SAMUEL SEGAL My/LW AUQRNEY United States Patent O 2,989,862 SLEEVE KEY RING Samuel Segal, 441 West End Ave., New York, N.Y. Filed May 3, 1960, Ser. No. 26,481 4 Claims. (Cl. 70-459) 'Ihe present invention relates to improvements in key holders and, more specifically, it relates to key rings for holding together a bunch of keys that are carried in a. pocket of a garment, or in a handbag, or the like, in such a manner that individual keys cannot detach themselves from the bunch While the same is taken out of a bag, or a pocket, and while one of the keys is being used.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which greatly facilitates and simplies the attaching of keys to the key ring as well as the removal of keys therefrom, but which also safely prevents an unwanted detaching of any key from the ring, so that no key can be lost.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is light in weight and of a comparatively small size, so that it will not add substantially Ito the burden of carrying articles in a garment pocket, or in a handbag, or the like, and which also is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, as Well as sturdy, durable and Well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended.

With the `foregoing and other objects which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and `combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangements of parts of the embodiment disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing I have set -forth an illus- .trative embodiment of my invention.

In said drawing:

FIGURE 1 -is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the same; Y

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional View on the line 4-4 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device showing parts thereof in a different position than FIGS. 1 and 2.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing lthe numeral 1 denotes a substantially C-shaped member of metal or plastic material or the like, which has a pair of straight portions 2 and 3 in axial alignment to each other, and which also has a pair of curved portions 4 and 5 as well as a third straight portion 7. A tubular sleeve member is slidable on the portion 3 of the member 1, and has axial bores 11 and 12 as well as a knurled increased pontion 15. A pressure spring 16 is located in the bore 11 of the member 10 between the closed end of the bore 11 and the outer extremity of the portion 3 of the member 1, which portion 3 is shiftably extended into the -bore 11. The Spring 16 tends to force the member 10 .toward the portion 2 of the member 1, so that said portion 2 extends into the bore 12 of the member 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

It has been found to be difficult to hold this type of key ring and at the same time to do the following two things: Firstly, to hold back the member 10, so that it remains in the position shown in FIG. 5; and secondly, to insert one or more keys 17 and to extend portions of the member y1 through the holes 20 in said keys 17. Means for overcoming this difficulty constitute an important feature of the present invention. One of said means is an undercut 21, or a attening of the end section of the portion 2 of the member 1. Another one of said means is a taper-shaped attening 22 of a section of the portion 3 of the member 1. The undercut 21 offers a sutnciently large surface to a key 17 pressed against the portion 15 of the member 10 in the direction of the arrow 23 (FIG. l) to allow the key 17 to push back safely the sleeve member 10 into -the position shown in FIG. 5. Thus a person can conveniently hold the member l in one hand, and with the other hand push a key 17 in the direction of the arrow 23 against the member 10, so as to slide the same out of engagement with the portion 2 of the member 1, and simultaneously he can pass a portion of the member 1 through the hole 20 of the key 17.

The taper-shaped flattened section 22 of the member 1 is adapted for frictionally engaging a pontion of the bore 11 of the member 10, when the member 10 is pressed firmly thereagainst, so that the member 10 will be retained in the position shown in FIG. 5. This retaining of the member 10 is very convenient when a person wishes [to insert several keys into my new and improved key ring, or when he wishes to remove the same therefrom. In order to close the key ring, all that is necessary is to twist, or turn, or pull the sleeve member a little relative to the member 1, so that the spring 16 can push the member 10 back from its position of FIG. 5 to that shown in FIGS. l and 2.

Since certain changes may -be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing vfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above descrip tion or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a C-shaped member having a pair of straight end portions in axial alignment and in spaced relation to each other, a sleeve member slidable on one of the straight end portions of said C-shaped member, and resilient means tending to force said sleeve member into a position in which both straight end portions of said -C-shaped member extend into opposite end portions of said sleeve member, said C-shaped member being provided with means for fn'ctionally engaging an end portion of said sleeve member so as to retain .fthe same in a position in which it is spaced apart from one of the straight end portions of said C-shaped member.

2. A sleeve key ring comprising a curved member having a pair of straight end portions in axial alignment and in spaced relation `to each other, a sleeve member slidable on one of the straight end portions of said curved member, and resilient means tending to force said sleeve member into a position in which both straight end portions of said curved member extend into opposite end pontions of said sleeve member, said curved member being provided with first means for facilitating the pushing of said sleeve member along the straight end portions of said curved member, and with second means for frictionally engaging an end portion of said sleeve member so as to retain the same in a position in which it is spaced apant from one of the straght end portions of said curved member.

3. A sleeve key ring comprising a curved member having a pair of straight end portions in axial alignment and spaced relative to each other and one of said end portions having a taper section, a sleeve member slidable on a straight section of that end portion of said curved member which is provided With said taper section and being Vadapted for irictionally engaging the taper section so as to adhere thereto, and resilient means tending to force said sleeve member into a position in which both straight end portions of said curved member extend into opposite end portions of said sleeve member.

4. A sleeve key ring comprising a curved member having a pair of straight end portions in axial alignment andspaced relative to each other and a first one of said end portions having a flattened extremity while a second one of said end portions has a taper section, a tubular 4 member slidable on a straight section of the second one of said end portions and being adapted for frictionally engaging the taper section so as to adhere thereto, and resilient means tending to force said tubular member toward the irst end portion of said curved member.

ReferencesCitedin the tile of this patient UNITED STATES PATENTS 803,839 Merrill NOV. 7, 1905 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,710 Belgium 'May 15, v1952 933,341 France Dec. 17, 1947 

